Broken Curse
by KryptoniteMistress
Summary: I admit, I am not the best at coming up with titles. But this is a one-shot between Hook and Emma that takes places after Sunday's episode. Hook tries to find a way to life Zelena's curse and keep everyone safe, but it may mean sacrificing himself.


_Hi everyone! This story was inspired after Sunday's episode. This is my first "Once Upon A Time" fanfiction, and my first fanfiction in years. As such, I hope you all enjoy. Feel free to leave feedback. Thank you for reading!_

_DISCLAIMER: I do not have any rights to "Once Upon A Time", and am not making a profit off of this story. I was merely inspired by the writing. _

**Broken Curse**

As Hook walked away from Granny's after looking in on Emma and Henry having fun with the others, he knew that a huge weight was on his shoulders. He must either kiss the woman he loved and leave her vulnerable to terrible danger, or let her loved ones perish. But he knew he could never let either happen. He wanted to work out a deal with Zelena, and he knew what his end of the bargain had to be. He only hoped Zelena would agree.

As if on cue, a green puff of smoke appeared in front of him, stopping him clear in his tracks. "So, what have you decided?" Zelena asked smugly.

Hook let out a sigh. He knew what he had to do. "I want to cut a deal with you. Emma and her loved ones stay safe. But you can take me instead."

Zelena pursed her lips and tilted her head to the side in thought. "Now where's the fun in that?"

"I am the only thing standing between you and Emma, as I can keep her powers intact, and she can use her magic to fight you if you try to kill her family. If you kill me, though, I won't be in the way anymore, and you can find another way to face her, with or without her magic."

"I can find a way to do that now."

"Not if I have anything to say about it. If you try to take Emma's magic away by another means, I'll stand in your way. But if you kill me and try to do it, there's nothing standing in your way. It's up to Emma to defend herself then."

"I like those odds. Alright, Captain." She held out a hand to him. "You've got yourself a deal."

He shook her hand in agreement.

"Tell everyone to come to the town square immediately. I want them all to watch."

"I will."

He walked back to Granny's where everyone was still sitting and enjoying their dinner. He took a moment and then finally stepped inside, heading right toward their table.

"Hey, glad you decided to join us after all," Emma said, smiling. "Have a seat."

"I can't," he said, looking down at the ground.

Emma looked worried. "Why, what's wrong?"

He finally lifted up his head and made eye contact. "Zelena wants you all in the town square now."

"What? Why?" Regina asked.

"She wants to tell everyone something," was the best explanation that he could come up with.

"Ok, let's go," David said after a moment's pause from everyone. He got up and began to walk out, and everyone else followed suite.

Zelena was already waiting for them when they arrived at the town square.

"What do you want?" Regina asked.

She stood in front of them and gave a sly smile. "I wanted to inform you all of a slight change of plans. You see, I put a curse on the pirate captain here so that if he kissed Emma Swan, she would lose her magic and be powerless against me. If he informed her of this curse, or did not kiss her, I would come after all of you. The captain here made me an even better counter offer, however. He would sacrifice himself so that Emma could keep her powers, and she will be on her own to defend herself against me."

"She wouldn't be on her own," Mary Margaret stated. "We will fight with her."

Zelena let out a cackle. "I don't think so. If anyone else showed up to fight, we would have a problem."

"So, what's going to happen now?" David asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Zelena replied. "I'm going to kill the captain here while you all watch. Then it will just be me and Emma."

"Killian," Henry spoke up, sounding scared. "Please don't let her do this."

"It's alright," Hook said, turning to face him. "Just do as you're told and be good for your mother."

"But..." Henry said.

"Everything will be fine," he assured him. "You have so many people who care about you and will protect you. But just remember that I had a lot of fun with you."

Henry looked away, which was what exactly what Emma had been doing ever since she was made aware of the plan.

"Alright, well enough with the lovey-doveys" Zelena said. "Let's kick this plan into gear. Captain, if you will come hear please."

Hook stepped forward toward Zelena and faced her, appearing confident but aching inside. He could not even bring himself to look at Emma and Henry. If only he could tell them how he felt…

A small, green cloud of smoke appeared between Zelena's hands, and was gradually growing bigger. Hook's heart began to race as this was happening.

Emma's heart was beginning to do the same thing. She couldn't let him sacrifice himself like this.

Finally, she looked up from the ground and ran up to him. "Killian, don't!" she exclaimed.

"Stay out of this," Zelena snapped.

Ignoring her, Emma continued to keep her eyes locked on Hook. "Killian, please" she whispered. "Don't do this."

Hook did not look at her. To get his attention, Emma took his hook and placed it against her heart. "Please," she said even quieter, as tears began to form in her eyes. "I love you," she said.

Hook finally looked up at her, stunned.

Zelena snorted mockingly. "Don't believe her, captain" she said as the ball of magic between her hands continued to grow slowly. "It's just a trick to get you to fight with her against me because she knows she could never do it alone."

Emma turned her glance from Hook to Zelena and walked toward her. "Wanna bet?" she asked, and with all of the strength and magic that she could muster, she created a magic ball of her own, which was yellow. She threw it against the green one that Zelena was creating, and when the two collided there was a great burst of light and energy. Hook felt something lift off of his lips, a similar yet more freeing feeling to when Zelena had put the curse on him.

When the collision had subsided, Zelena was gone. Everyone stood in place and looked around in the town square for her.

"What happened?" Emma asked, confused.

"I'll tell you what happened," Regina replied proudly. "You defeated Zelena. Your magic was so much stronger than Zelena's that it reversed every curse she had ever placed, and the magic that she was using to kill Hook fired back onto her. Congratulations, you have finally realized your true potential."

"Thanks to your help," Emma admitted.

"Don't you forget it," Regina said jokingly.

"So, she's dead," Mary Margaret stated. "Emma, you did it. I am so proud of you!"

Everybody walked up to Emma and hugged in celebration of their victory. Everybody except for Hook.

He was trying to take everything in that had just occurred. He did not have to sacrifice himself after all. Zelena was no longer a threat. The curse that she had placed on him had been lifted. And, best of all, Emma said that she loved him. He did not know if this last part was actually true, but he wanted his moment of happiness before it was destroyed by reality.

Emma interrupted his thoughts as she walked up to him. He stared and her, and they were both silent, though Hook knew he had to ask her a question that had been plaguing him.

Eventually, he gathered the courage to ask her, though it came out very quietly. "Did you mean what you said before?"

Emma knew the answer, of course, but she was needing to find her own courage to get the words out. After a moment, she whispered, "Yes".

Hook felt as though a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders, and he let out a heavy breathe he didn't even realize he had been holding in.

Emma knew that she needed to actually say the words, so she walked up right in front of Hook and put her hands on his face. "I love you, Killian," she said softly, her voice beginning to shake, "And I'm sorry it took me so long to admit it."

Hook smiled, feeling as though he was in a state of ecstasy. He leaned his forehead against Emma's, wanting to officially utter his feelings out loud to her. "And I love you, Emma Swan."

Emma let out a quiet laugh as tears started falling down her cheeks, their foreheads still pressed against each other's.

This new admission left Hook feeling more brave and fearless then he could remember feeling in a very long time. Which is why he asked a question he knew also needed to be asked.

He leaned away from Emma and look her directly in the eyes. "So, what are we going to do about these feelings?" It was yet another question he was afraid to get the answer to.

Emma was taken off guard, as she had not thought that far ahead. She knew what she wanted, though. What she has wanted for a while now, since Hook and Henry had been spending so much time together.

"I want you, Henry, and me to be a family."

Hook let out a soft gasp in shock, as he was hoping for, but not expecting, that response.

"You have no idea how much those words mean to me. "

With his good hand, he reached out and grabbed Emma's. "I can't believe this is real. I'm afraid that I'm going to wake up from a dream, or that you're going to turn into someone else who's been playing a cruel trick on me." At that last part, they both let out a small laugh.

Emma, with her free hand, grabbed the lapel of Hook's jacket and pulled him in for a passionate kiss. Hook let go of Emma's hand and sunk into the kiss, as he had previously been worried he would never be able to kiss her again. Emma took her newly free hand and placed it in Hook's hair.

After the kiss was broken, Emma put her arms around Hook's neck. "Was that real enough for you?" she asked with a smile.

Hook returned her smile with one of his own. "Aye," he replied. "I will always know when it's a genuine Emma Swan kiss."

As they embraced this moment of happiness looking into each other's eyes, they knew this was only the beginning of a great new adventure ahead. They had defeated Zelena together, and whatever else their world threw their way they would face together, along with the rest of Storybrooke.


End file.
